Ticker: No need for RBs in NFL? Don't tell that to former Lion Barry Sanders

May 4, 2014

Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders waves as he is introduced before a private event in advance of the inaugural Pro Football Hall of Fame fan fest, Friday, May 2, 2014, in Cleveland. The fan fest will feature appearances, autograph and photo sessions with more than 100 Hall of Famers Saturday and Sunday. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan) / AP

Written by

Kirkland Crawford

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

Sure, the NFL is a “passing league,” since 3,000-yard passing seasons are looked on as average.

But Barry Sanders isn’t giving up hope for the shelf life of a running back.

During the Pro Football Hall of Fame fanfest in Cleveland on Saturday, Sanders told ESPN he’s not ready to throw dirt on the running game’s importance.

“I think everything kind of goes in cycles. I think this year we saw a good number of teams that were able to run the ball,” Sanders said, citing the Super Bowl champion Seahawks and the other NFC title game participants, the 49ers.

As a whole, the running game isn’t emphasized as much as it was when Sanders was setting the league on fire in the 90s. But the all-time great Lion said that doesn’t mean there’s not a need for his comrades.

“I think good offensive coordinators will figure out how to run,” he said. “Those who care to will figure it out.”

Trade winds

ESPN NFL reporter John Clayton addressed trading up in the draft in his latest mailbag column. He wrote that although the Lions could be in play for moving up for Texas A&M WR Mike Evans, “I don’t expect a surge in trades ... because of the quality and depth of this draft. Trading up in a draft this rich costs too much if teams are giving up second-, third- and fourth-round choices, because players picked at those spots could be potential starters.”

Lows in Hockeytown

The Hockey News’ Josh Elliott compiled the five worst coaching season in NHL history. There were a couple of mentions from the Dead Wings era.

At No. 5 was Larry Wilson in 1976-77. In 36 games as the interim coach, the Wings were 3-29-4. Then at No. 4, it’s the Harry Neale-Brad Park combo from 1985-86. Neale opened the season 8-23-4 before getting a pink slip. Park then went 9-34-2.

Still the Louisville Lip

Leave it to The Greatest to sum up the state of boxing. This was Muhammad Ali’s tweet after Floyd Mayweather’s win over Marcos Maidana.

“Congratulations @FloydMayweather. Maybe after you rest up we can see you rumble with @MannyPacquiao!”

Rivalry still burns

Sounds like the Clippers-Warriors series wasn’t quite over when L.A. won Game 7 late Saturday night.

Several media outlets report the teams engaged in a heated shouting match in the tunnel at Staples Center after the game. ESPN reports that a few Warriors heard what they thought to be a Clippers assistant coach loudly mentioning how quiet the Golden State postgame locker room seemed.

This is easily the closest thing to an old-school NBA feud. Best-of-17 for these two next season.